Worry about participation in the World Cup
Shock: Ex-Bayern star in hospital after international match
April 3, 2026 – 8:53 a.mReading time: 2 minutes
The duel with France has unexpectedly difficult consequences for James Rodríguez. Colombia’s football association announces details.
Shock for a former Bayern star: James Rodríguez (34) had to be treated in hospital for three days after the friendly match between Colombia and France (1:3). The reason: severe dehydration. This was announced by the Colombian Football Association.
Rodríguez, who played for Bayern Munich between 2017 and 2019, was substituted after 63 minutes in Landover (US state of Maryland) on Sunday after appearing very sluggish. The 2014 World Cup top scorer “exhibited symptoms of severe dehydration requiring hospitalization in the last 72 hours,” the association said. Rodríguez was taken to a hospital in Minnesota, where he now plays for MLS club Minnesota United, “for preventative clinical monitoring and recovery.”
A good two months before the World Cup in the USA, Mexico and Canada – Colombia meets Uzbekistan, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Portugal in Group K – doubts continue to grow about the fitness of Rodríguez, who moved to Real Madrid after his strong 2014 World Cup. National coach Nestor Lorenzo was recently criticized for the fact that Rodríguez was still given such a key role in the national team despite a lack of match practice.
Because of the expected heat at the World Cup, there will be a three-minute break after 22 or 67 minutes in all 104 games so that the professionals can have a drink. There were already such drinking breaks in numerous games at the Club World Cup in the USA last summer.
